After its impressive poll showing in Maharashtra and Haryana, BJP set the ball rolling for government formation in the two states today, as NCP sprang a surprise with its offer of "outside support" in the western state where the saffron party fell short of majority.
The BJP discussed the party's strategy ahead at a meeting of the Parliamentary Board, its highest decision-making body.
Whereas in Haryana with an absolute majority in its favour, the BJP is all set to form a government of its own, in Maharashtra where it has fallen short of a majority it would require an ally, which could likely be the Shiv Sena. BJP secured 122 seats in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly.
At a meeting of the BJP Parliamentary Board chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the party decided to send central observers to Maharashtra and Haryana to elect a leader of the BJP Legislative Party in both the states.
Sources told PTI that BJP Chief Ministers are likely to take oath before Diwali in both states but government formation in Maharashtra may be delayed and will take place after the festival that falls on Thursday. The party is yet to zero-in on its leader in Haryana, where party leader Manohar Lal Khattar and state unit chief Ram Bilas Sharma are in the race among others.
Party sources said a meeting of newly-elected party MLAs from Haryana will be held in Chandigarh tomorrow to elect its leader and the new government could be in place in the next three days.
The meeting of BJP MLAs in Maharashtra is not slated for tomorrow and may be held in the next two-three days to elect their leader, who will be the Chief Minister. BJP's state president Devendra Fadnavis is the front-runner, the sources added.
While Home Minister Rajnath Singh will go to Maharashtra, Urban Development Minister Venkaiah Naidu will go to Haryana. Rajnath will be accompanied by party general secretary J P Nadda to Mumbai and party Vice President Dinesh Sharma will accompany Venkaiah to Chandigarh.
Sources also told PTI that BJP is not averse to taking back its old ally Shiv Sena in its government in Maharashtra. A consensus appears to have been reached on taking back the Shiv Sena in its fold to form a stable government in the state.
Insiders say the RSS also wants that all Hindutva forces should remain united for the long term.
"It is the wonderful blend of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's credible leadership and the organisational skills of BJP chief Amit Shah that have worked in favour of the BJP in both the states," Nadda told reporters after the meeting.
The party, however, remained tight-lipped on its strategy for Maharashtra, where the Sharad Pawar-led NCP is more than keen to offer support to BJP.
"The people of Maharashtra have not given mandate to any single party. No party is in a position to form a stable government on its own. Keeping in mind the interest of Maharashtra people, we feel we should support the party which can form the government. Maharashtra needs a stable government," NCP leader Praful Patel told reporters.
